We analyze the redevelopment of Palermo in Buenos Aires (television, fashion and design productive clusters), the role of private and public sectors, the impact on local finances, the geography of the creative economy and competitive polarized societies.

Abstract

The territorial impact of the world economical restructuring has generated a deep reopening of the economical bases and of the planning and city management tools, which were in force until the early eighties. On account of the decline of “fordist” industry, cultural activities and those named “creative” have pull strings of redevelopment and have attracted investment.In the argentine case, before the state reform and the economical opening of the early nineties, direct foreign investment was the main motive power of metropolitan transformations, and in particular, of the modernization of industry and services. At the same time, the penetration and diffusion of new consumption patterns have created selective modernization processes in the direction of investment and location. Old degraded areas or those undervalued in terms of real estate, have been reconverted or rehabilitated by means of activities like design, fashion, audio-visual and publishing production. New cultural and productive circuits have been replacing the way of life in ancient city quarters, generating urban gentrification processes.So this paper will think about the processes of conversion and redevelopment in Palermo quarter in Buenos Aires city, which were promoted by private investment, analyzing the television, fashion and design clusters in the areas named “Palermo Hollywood” and “Palermo Soho”. It will also analyze the roles of public and private sectors and quantify the impact of those activities on the local finances. The geography of creative economy will be exhibited through thematic maps, statistics, investment information and images of the new urban landscape. Finally, reflections about the problem of competitive cities in polarized societies, after ten years of economical neo liberalism, will be discussed.